Galen Reviews Anything (![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} galen_reviews) wrote,@ 2008-04-13 17:29:00 |
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username: Faust
Media: Play/Operetta
Title: username: Faust
Rating: ** 1/2 (of *****)
In a nutshell: A cute student work. There's a good story and good potential here, but it isn't really fully developed, and the narrative thread comes unwound.
Two points to be fair.
First, this is a student's Senior Project. Its not by a professional Playwright, at least not yet. It, unfortunately, shows.
Second, the lead was replaced by an understudy (?) or alternate player. This may also have had some impact on the quality of the production.
The stage is a blackbox on Harvard's campus. Technically, it may have been a practice room. it wasn't large. There was room for, at most, 6 rows of seats, but he lightboard/control deck was taking up two of them. I did approve of the 13-seats-per-row, though. There was only 50 seats available, though, as 2 of them were taken by cameras.
The set is a white backdrop, with a desk with a computer keyboard, mouse and a glass screen on it, all in white. The screen is used for projecting things upon throughout the play., in particular (but not only) the lead's computer interactions Later in the play,the backdrop i used as a projection screen for other elements.
The plot is fairly straight forward. The lead, Cass, who is wheelchair bound and has some measure of coordination issues (uses voice recognition for data input). She is isolated in her apartment, in part by her own self determination. She has a single friend, Wendy, who is blind and does Cass's shoping for her.
Cass posts on LiveJournal about her isolation. She is infatuated with a YouTube video, where a low-talent kid gets a lot of attention.
Enter the Faustian bargain. When Cass's compuer breaks down (which seems infernally inspired), A mysterious repair person, Sophia, shows up. In the process, she offers Cass a dal -- give up her password, and she can have all the internet fame she wishes.
They make a video, with Cass in costume, lip--syncing along with 'What Lola Wants'. Which gets popular. Cass's isolation increases, as she makes more videos and becomes more famous. Until she confronts Sophia and Sophia's boss.
----
Between scenes with Cass, Lucifer has a few Arias. Videos, amalgams of Cass's YoUTube videos, other videos, and other multi-screen combinations play at various points throughout the show.
---
The faults here aren't inherent in the plot, but the implementation. The dialogue is fairly weak in places. Conversations aren't natural, but forced.
Cass's isolation isn't convincing. She has a dull job, but is self sufficient (and supports Wendy as well). She has a life and online community. yet, she's willing to throw it all away for some fame, because of her isolation. I'm not one for saying that just because she exists, she's courageous - her disability doesn't trump all. it would have been nice if her dialogue or demeanor was more convincing with some level of dissatisfaction and loneliness.
Sophia's temptation is also not convincing. This may have, unfortunately, been a weakness of the actor, rather than the writing.
The narrative definitely has promise. Some work on the dialogue, and better explanation of activities (the ending feels incomplete, and it would be a nice, tight play.
Media: Play/Operetta
Title: username: Faust
Rating: ** 1/2 (of *****)
In a nutshell: A cute student work. There's a good story and good potential here, but it isn't really fully developed, and the narrative thread comes unwound.
Two points to be fair.
First, this is a student's Senior Project. Its not by a professional Playwright, at least not yet. It, unfortunately, shows.
Second, the lead was replaced by an understudy (?) or alternate player. This may also have had some impact on the quality of the production.
The stage is a blackbox on Harvard's campus. Technically, it may have been a practice room. it wasn't large. There was room for, at most, 6 rows of seats, but he lightboard/control deck was taking up two of them. I did approve of the 13-seats-per-row, though. There was only 50 seats available, though, as 2 of them were taken by cameras.
The set is a white backdrop, with a desk with a computer keyboard, mouse and a glass screen on it, all in white. The screen is used for projecting things upon throughout the play., in particular (but not only) the lead's computer interactions Later in the play,the backdrop i used as a projection screen for other elements.
The plot is fairly straight forward. The lead, Cass, who is wheelchair bound and has some measure of coordination issues (uses voice recognition for data input). She is isolated in her apartment, in part by her own self determination. She has a single friend, Wendy, who is blind and does Cass's shoping for her.
Cass posts on LiveJournal about her isolation. She is infatuated with a YouTube video, where a low-talent kid gets a lot of attention.
Enter the Faustian bargain. When Cass's compuer breaks down (which seems infernally inspired), A mysterious repair person, Sophia, shows up. In the process, she offers Cass a dal -- give up her password, and she can have all the internet fame she wishes.
They make a video, with Cass in costume, lip--syncing along with 'What Lola Wants'. Which gets popular. Cass's isolation increases, as she makes more videos and becomes more famous. Until she confronts Sophia and Sophia's boss.
----
Between scenes with Cass, Lucifer has a few Arias. Videos, amalgams of Cass's YoUTube videos, other videos, and other multi-screen combinations play at various points throughout the show.
---
The faults here aren't inherent in the plot, but the implementation. The dialogue is fairly weak in places. Conversations aren't natural, but forced.
Cass's isolation isn't convincing. She has a dull job, but is self sufficient (and supports Wendy as well). She has a life and online community. yet, she's willing to throw it all away for some fame, because of her isolation. I'm not one for saying that just because she exists, she's courageous - her disability doesn't trump all. it would have been nice if her dialogue or demeanor was more convincing with some level of dissatisfaction and loneliness.
Sophia's temptation is also not convincing. This may have, unfortunately, been a weakness of the actor, rather than the writing.
The narrative definitely has promise. Some work on the dialogue, and better explanation of activities (the ending feels incomplete, and it would be a nice, tight play.
